A lot happens at church that most people never see.
Someone arrives early to unlock the doors and prepare for everyone who will soon walk through them. Someone spends a weeknight working on a lesson they'll teach to kids that weekend. Someone cleans their house to host a small group, delivers a meal to a family that's struggling, or stays late to listen when someone needs to talk after everyone else has gone home.
Every church has people who faithfully do things like these, week after week. They love Jesus. They love people. And maybe you're one of them, wondering sometimes whether your part really matters.
It's easy to look at the people on stage, the staff members, or the ministry leaders with titles and assume their work is more important than yours. But that isn't how God builds His Church.
In Acts 6, we see how He does it. God uses ordinary people who notice a need, offer what they have, and make themselves available to the Holy Spirit.
Every person has a part to play. And every part matters.
A Growing Church with a Real Problem
The early church was growing quickly, and with that growth came growing pains. Acts 6:1 describes a troubling situation: as the church distributed food to widows in need, the Hellenistic, or Greek-speaking, widows were being overlooked while the Hebraic widows were receiving care.
Whatever caused the oversight, the problem was real. People were being missed — and the apostles couldn't personally carry every responsibility in a rapidly growing church. Their work of prayer and teaching mattered deeply, but so did the care of these widows.
The apostles gathered the believers and asked them to choose seven men known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom, who would take responsibility for distributing the food while the apostles devoted themselves to prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:2–4).
This is how God always works: When the Church has a need, God prompts the hearts of His children and invites them into the solution.
God Uses Ordinary People
Look at the names in this story. We recognize Stephen and Philip because of what happens later in Acts; they would become two of the best-known leaders in the early church. But the other names are far less familiar: Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas.
I find that encouraging, because most of us won't have names people recognize centuries from now. We don't need to.
The goal of life isn't to become personally extraordinary. It's to be filled with the Holy Spirit and available for the work God places in front of us.
Maybe you're the person who notices when someone is sitting alone or helps a family make it through a difficult month. Maybe you teach a child about Jesus, build something that needs to be built, give when a need arises, or lead a group. These things may not make your name famous, but they matter deeply to God, who uses ordinary people like you and me to care for His Church and carry His message into the world.
Everybody Brings Their Part
After the need was addressed, Luke tells us what happened next: "So the word of God spread" (Acts 6:7).
The widows received the care they needed. Seven leaders stepped forward. The apostles remained faithful to the work God had entrusted to them. Everyone brought their part, and the Word spread.
The same thing happens today: One person makes sure children are safe and loved, allowing their parents to hear the gospel. Someone opens their home to a small group and creates space for another person to grow. A generous giver helps meet a need that might otherwise go unmet. Every role can serve the mission.
If you've ever wondered whether you have enough to offer, Acts 6 invites you to ask a different question: What needs to be done, and what has God entrusted to me that I can bring?
We don't all have the same abilities, resources, availability, or experience. But we do share the same mission.
When everyone brings their part, the work of the gospel moves forward.
Ten Years of People Showing Up
Anthem Church recently celebrated “Ten Years of Hope.” As I look back over that decade, I'm deeply grateful for all God has done through this church. Since day one, we have seen 1,505 people give their lives to Jesus. Every one of those lives represents a story only God could write.
And behind those stories are countless people who made themselves available. I think of the volunteers who arrive early and stay late, sit with rowdy kids and tell them about Jesus, travel on mission trips, build houses, give whenever a need arises, and lead small groups week after week. I think of the staff members and volunteer leaders and the many faithful people whose names may never appear on our website or social media. Their service has helped shape our church.
I'm grateful for every one of them, and inspired by the way they continue to bring their best to Jesus.
That's the story I hope we keep telling for years to come: ordinary people filled with the Holy Spirit, bringing their best so that more people can hear about Jesus.
Jesus Is Still Building His Church
On the wall of my office hangs a large canvas with a promise from Jesus: "I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).
That promise gives me confidence as I look toward the future.
Jesus is still building His Church, and He is still inviting ordinary people like us to take part in His work.
There will be new needs to meet, new people to care for, and new opportunities to share the hope of Jesus with our city. And the same Spirit who raised up leaders in Acts 6 is still at work today through people who are willing to serve.
We get to make ourselves available, bring our best, and trust Jesus with whatever comes next.
Take Action
Notice a need. This week, pay attention to someone who may be overlooked. Ask how they're doing and then really listen to the answer. Take one practical step to help. A meal, a ride, a visit, or a few hours of your time may matter more than you realize.
Offer what you have. Think about the abilities, experience, resources, and opportunities God has entrusted to you. Reach out to a ministry leader and ask where you could be useful. Then choose one way to put what God has given you to work for someone else.
Encourage someone who serves. Tell a volunteer or leader what their work has meant to you. Be specific. The people who arrive early, care for others, and stay late need to know that their faithfulness is seen and that their part matters.
All for Jesus,
Brad D. Jenkins
P.S. — If this has been helpful, please send me a message at brad@bradjenkins.me and let me know. My writing aims to help people enjoy a vibrant relationship with Jesus, and it is an honor to be on this journey with you. To read previous newsletters or to sign up so that you don’t miss future posts, visit www.bradjenkins.me/blog.